Big P, little p. What begins with P?

If you are curious about where the title for this post came from, it is from Dr. Seuss' Alphabet book...which I've read to Hannah more times than I care to count!

1. Preschool
Tyler started preschool last week. Thank goodness! The preschool came highly recommended, and so far I have been very impressed with the teacher. I am a firm believer that preschool is a win-win for mom and child. I'm amazed at how much I can accomplish while he is gone. Likewise, Tyler develops social skills and a love for learning.

2. Peach Days
Every year our family goes to Brigham City's Peach Days. I've honestly only missed like four years my whole life! Tyler and Hannah LOVED the rides. I of course loved relaxing with my family and eating delicious food (and peach pie) from Maddox. This is one of my favorite family traditions!

3. Puzzles
Sunday morning after watching the special 9/11 Music and the Spoken Word, Steve pulled out this puzzle. It felt like a good way to remember the past and celebrate our heritage. This puzzle is comprised of hundreds of past stamps that make our flag. Hardest puzzle I've ever done! It's funny that while we were putting it together, we would swear that the piece we were looking for must be missing. Yet no missing pieces on this one!

4. Preserves
Who goes to Peach Days and doesn't buy peaches? This year my mom and I are canning about 30 quarts of peaches. We also have 4 jars of jam...so far. I honestly don't know how the pioneers did it all. I was tired after just 14 quarts in one night! It looked like a bomb went off in the kitchen. But come this winter, I will thoroughly enjoy the fresh taste of peaches....and maybe make some delicious Pioneer Woman Peach Crisp with Maple Cream sauce, if you twist my arm!

5. Personal Records
This past Saturday I ran my fastest 5k time ever. While 27:27 isn't a super fast time for some, it is fast for me. I ran the whole thing without stopping and wasn't even sore after. Just a year and a half ago I ran a 5k that took me 40:39. I am amazed at what our bodies can do if we work hard little by little. It feels good to feel good!

First (and last) camping trip of summer

The Pulleys like to camp. It just doesn't happen that often. With Steve studying for the Bar all summer, there was never a good time to go. We decided that Labor Day was the perfect day for camping...even if it was in the backyard.

The first task of the afternoon was setting up the tent. Our 10 man tent is awesome. It has three rooms. Listen to the logic on this. We can separate and contain the kids in separate rooms. Brilliant! The rain clouds and light rain weren't going to stop us.

Next came roasting marshmallows. What person doesn't love a perfectly roasted marshmallow? And what camping trip would be complete without them?

Finally came playtime in the tent. The kids had more fun making silly faces and bouncing on air mattresses than anything else. Laughing, playing, and being together is what family is all about. It was a great time, even if we ended up coming inside at 12:30 a.m. to our own beds! We'll have to camp again next summer.

The Golden Rule

I think most of us assume that most people are good people. Most people are honest, considerate, civil human beings. That statement is true. However, you'll notice the word choice of 'most', that leaves room for people who aren't honest, considerate or civil. My interaction with people who fall into the latter category has been few and far between...until the last month.

Within the last month and a half, there have been two "acquaintances" who I have had to interact with who have tested my good opinion of people. I have been belittled, yelled at, ignored, and treated with such incivility that it leaves me speechless....except for a few expletives (sorry mom!) I am not here to bash or give details. What I want to talk about is the Golden Rule.

Just to refresh our memory, the Golden Rule is the ethical code that states: "You should treat others as you would like to be treated." This isn't that complex of a statement. It is quite simple. After having been treated in the direct opposite of this ethical code I have come to a conclusion. Are you ready for it?

My moral character is worth more than choosing to be unkind. I cannot control how other people treat me. Ultimately, I am only responsible for my own actions. While it hurts to be treated so poorly, I realize that I NEVER want to make anyone feel the way I have been made to feel the past month or so. Not even close. I want to be someone who treats others with kindness, even if they don't "deserve" it.

I am going to be held accountable for my actions, and I know that I will never regret treating someone fairly. In fact, I should treat them better than I would want to be treated. For when I stand before my Father in Heaven, I do not want to be treated fairly. I am going to want mercy. I am an imperfect person who needs mercy. All of us need mercy and compassion.

I am going to try to live by what I am calling the "Platinum Rule" which is treating others better than they deserve. For that is how the Supreme Exemplar lived. The Platinum Rule, pass it on!

You know you're a mom when you...

1. Buy Tic-Tacs only because you know it will give you about one minute of silence upon dispersal.
2. Know and help practice monkey, airplane, soldier for swim lessons.

3. Can easily do your make-up while being attacked by a tickle monster.
4. Know what the request for "tu-tus" means. (Blues Clues)
5. Have at least one pack of fruit snacks on your being at all times.
6. Perfectly time showering and shaving your legs to within 10 seconds of an episode of The Backyardigans ending.
7. Have mastered the art of concealing and eating a treat without your kids' knowledge.
8. Know that punishing your kids by taking away TV or movie time is really only punishing yourself.
9. Truly think your children have the cutest faces.

10. Go into your children's room while they are asleep just to be reminded how angelic they are when they aren't moving, whining, or fighting.
11. End up talking to your husband about all the cute things your kids did that day, in spite of all the bad.
12. Wake up each morning with a renewed determination to be the best mom you can be that day!

California knows how to party

Or in this case relax!! What better way to celebrate Steve's completion of the Bar than six days in sunny California? We left on the earliest flight and came home on the latest flight they had. We wanted to maximize our vacation before Steve started work.

Our, or more correctly, my relaxing began with some retail therapy at some great California stores! That was followed by the California Science Museum in San Francisco and some delicious desserts at Ghirardelli Square. Tyler liked seeing the snakes and lizards. Hannah loved the "flutterflys" and birds. We ALL enjoyed the ice cream and chocolate!

One of our favorite outings was at Happy Hollow in San Jose. It is a petting zoo, zoo, amusement park and playground for kids. Tyler went on a ride called the Frog Hopper. He was laughing so hard that Steve and I were almost in tears laughing too! Hannah had no fear feeding the goats. Whenever we get to do things as a family, it makes me realize how much I love them!

While time as a family is a precious commodity, time as a couple is even more rare. The best part of the trip was a day at the beach just the two of us. Thank you to Steve's mom watching the kids for one full day! We drove along the coast and stopped at whichever beach we felt like. We searched for good tide pools, chased harbor seals from their rocks, and remembered what it was like to be a couple in love! After dinner we went to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and rode rides like we were young again. It was an awesome day, and an awesome trip.

A very big thank you to Steve's parents for opening their home to us, watching the kids, and helping us have some much needed rest and relaxation!